1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, such as a notebook type personal computer, for example, and an electronic apparatus information display method, and relates in particular to an electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus information display method that provides improved information display for the user.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of electrophoretic displays as displays for electronic apparatuses such as electronic books and cards, and the like, is widely known (examples: Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 1999-502950 specification and Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-285219 specification). Also, in a notebook type personal computer such as an electronic apparatus, the use of an electrophoretic display instead of a liquid crystal display is also widely known (Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-137250 specification).
The advantages of an electrophoretic display are as follows:
(a) can be made extremely thin: approximately 100 xcexcm, for example;
(b) can be applied without problems to curved surfaces and in constricted places;
(c) has a memorizing capability, and it is sufficient to apply a drive voltage only in display switching and not apply a drive voltage after a predetermined display has been achieved, thereby greatly reducing power consumption.
In the case of a notebook type personal computer, for example, there is an on status and an off status with regard to the power supply, and a suspended status and non-suspended status with regard to the CPU, and with conventional notebook type personal computers, these electrical status are indicated to the user by illumination or non-illumination of a small light emitting device such as an LED (light emitting diode).
However, light emitting devices used for electrical status displays heretofore have been small and difficult for the user to see. In addition, shortcomings of current electrophoretic displays are as follows:
(a) the operation speed is greatly influenced by the applied voltage, making a high drive voltage necessary in order to achieve a fast response;
(b) when using low-voltage drive, as on battery power, the response speed is slowxe2x80x94on the order of several seconds.
Moreover, the character input keys of a conventional computer keyboard have the characters that can be input in a plurality of modes pre-printed on their top surfaces. Also, function keys can be assigned a variety of functions by various applications, and it is difficult to mark all of these beforehand on the top surfaces of the keys. This requires the user to rely on his or her memory when operating the function keys in different applications or modes.
A conventional electrophoretic display provided in an electronic apparatus is located where it is most easily seen by the user, and displays various kinds of information in common. However, such information is not always displayed in the vicinity of a member, such as a key or push button, to be operated. It would be difficult for a user to quickly access the member in response to the displayed information.
As a result of having all characters that can be input in a plurality of modes marked on the top surfaces of character input keys on a conventional computer keyboard, it is difficult for the user to identify the character to be input by current operation of a character input key. Also, since function keys are not marked with the function that can be processed by current operation, these keys are difficult to use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus information display method that makes it possible to present an inexperienced user with information concerning a member to be operated at the present time in an easily understood form.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus information display method that makes the various electrical status of an electronic apparatus easy to understand for a user by means of a sufficiently large surface display.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus information display method that makes it easy for a user to understand which input, etc., is currently assigned to a member to which a plurality of inputs, functions, and the like, are assigned.
These and other purposes of the present invention will become more apparent after referring to the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The purposes and advantages of the present invention have been achieved by providing according to a first aspect of the present invention an electronic apparatus comprising the following items:
a housing that accommodates an electronic element internally;
an electrophoretic display arranged on all or part of the surface of the housing;
a display controller for displaying on the electrophoretic display an operation guide for a user.
A brief message for instructing a user to operate a member, such as key, button or switch, is one of an example of an operation guide. Also, it may be an illustration such as icon representing a specific operation or function of an apparatus. Further, it may be an illustration, pattern or icon which is disposed on a surface of a member to be operated by a user.
The concept of electronic apparatus includes portable electronic apparatus such as notebook type personal computers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), and mobile phones, and also non-portable electronic apparatus such as desktop computers, fixed-line phones, and home electrical appliances. An electrophoretic display typically comprises cells, and a dispersion medium and suspended substance injected into those cells. The substance generally consists of charged particles, an example of charged particles being positively or negatively charged titanium oxide powder.
A noteworthy feature of the first aspect of the present invention is that an electrophoretic display is arranged on the surface of the electronic apparatus housing. That is to say, there is a housing that accommodates various elements of the electronic apparatus, and an electrophoretic display is arranged on the surface of that housing. With current technology, it is possible for an electrophoretic display to have a thickness of approximately 100 xcexcm, and to be installed on any surface of the housing. With a conventional notebook type personal computer, for example, a liquid crystal display is not mounted on the housing surface, but an aperture is formed in the housing, and the liquid crystal display is mounted in that aperture so as to be exposed from that aperture. Also, with a conventional notebook type personal computer, light emitting devices such as LEDs are used to indicate information such as the power supply on/off status, and since these light emitting devices are markedly thicker than an electrophoretic display, they are not mounted on the surface of the housing, but installed in holes made in the housing.
Electrophoretic display mounting methods include, for example, (i) a method whereby film formation of an underside electrode on the housing surface, painting of electrophoretic cells on the surface of the underside electrode, and film formation of a top-side electrode on the electrophoretic cell surfaces, are executed in that order, and (ii) a method whereby a film-type electrophoretic display comprising three layers (underside electrode, electrophoretic cells, and top-side electrode) is affixed to the housing surface.
In the first aspect of the present invention, information displayed on the display is preferably an operation guide for a user, and as the number of characters, symbols, etc., for a typical operation guide is small, and it is not changed frequently, an electrophoretic display can display information exhibiting its advantages while its shortcomings are not a problem. Also, an electrophoretic display has few restrictions as to placement space and placement location, and current operation guide can be arranged on the part of the housing that is most easily seen by the user. Thus, it is possible to arrange an electrophoretic display on a suitable part of the housing of an electronic apparatus, and display operation information on the electronic apparatus so as to be easily understood by the user.
An electronic apparatus of a second aspect of the present invention has, in an electronic apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, a main display for displaying information by a display method that allows faster operation than an electrophoretic display, and a member operated by the user. An electrophoretic display is arranged at a place closer to the member than a main display, and a display controller displays operation guides related to the member on the electrophoretic display which is at a location close to the member.
If the electronic apparatus is a notebook type personal computer, for example, the main display may be a liquid crystal type display, for example. As the electronic apparatus is equipped with a main display capable of high-speed operation separate from the electrophoretic display, normal display for which high-speed operation is desirable is performed by the main display, and operation guide related display for which high-speed operation is not particularly necessary is performed by the electrophoretic display, so that overall information display for the electronic apparatus can be achieved without inconveniencing the user. Also, as the electrophoretic display is arranged closer to a member to be operated than the main display, and displays operation guides about that member, the user can ascertain readily the member that should be operated.
According to an electronic apparatus of a third aspect of the present invention, in an electronic apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention a display controller displays on an electrophoretic display a guide for informing a user of a member to be operated by the user.
The number of members that should be operated at the present time is not necessarily one, but may be a plurality. By looking at the display of the electrophoretic display, the user can accurately and efficiently find members to be operated at the present time.
With an electronic apparatus of a fourth aspect of the present invention, in an electronic apparatus of any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention there is an event detector for detecting an event that requests operation of a predetermined member by the user, and member search logic for searching for a member to be operated by the user in response to an event when an event is detected. The display controller displays in a region of the electrophoretic display, in the vicinity of a searched member (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cnearby regionxe2x80x9d), a guide for informing a user of a member to be operated by the user.
A nearby region is defined as a location where display information indicating that a member should be operated by the user at the present time is sufficiently close to a member for the user to immediately identify that member. The user can grasp accurately and efficiently from the display of the electrophoretic display the member that should be operated at the present time.
With an electronic apparatus of a fifth aspect of the present invention, in an electronic apparatus of the fourth aspect of the present invention there is furthermore explanatory information search logic for searching a predetermined database for explanatory information to be displayed in a region of an electrophoretic display in response to an event when an event is detected. The display controller displays searched explanatory information as at least part of the operation guide in a nearby region of the electrophoretic display.
Explanatory information may include, for example, how a member is to be operated (for example: held down for two seconds or longer), what kind of processing is performed by the operation (for example: quitting Windows), or the like.
As explanatory information is displayed in a nearby region of the electrophoretic display, the user can understand accurately the processing he or she is about to perform, and can operate the member correctly. For example, if an incorrect event occurs when the user is attempting to quit Windows, and the explanatory information indicates that a processing other than quitting Windows will be executed as a result of the operation, the user can refrain from performing an incorrect operation.
An electronic apparatus of a sixth aspect of the present invention comprises the following items:
a housing that accommodates an electronic element internally;
an electrophoretic display arranged on all or part of the surface of the housing;
a display controller for displaying on the electrophoretic display an electrical status of the electronic apparatus or a predetermined electronic element provided therein.
Electrical status of the electronic apparatus or a predetermined electronic element provided therein include not only two, but also three or more, electrical status. Displays corresponding to the various electrical status of the electronic apparatus or a predetermined electronic element provided therein include character display, symbol display, graphic display, and color display. Depending on the case, display by an electrophoretic display corresponding to such electrical status may also include low-speed moving pictures. For each electronic apparatus or predetermined electronic element provided therein, there is a place suitable for displaying these electrical status to the user. By displaying electrical status using an electrophoretic display, electrical status can be displayed smoothly at a place suitable for display. In a notebook type personal computer, for example, the outer surface of the cover on which a liquid crystal display is mounted can be seen from outside even when that cover is closed, and is therefore a suitable place for displaying an electrical status concerning the power supply on/off status.
According to an electronic apparatus of a seventh aspect of the present invention, in an electronic apparatus of the sixth aspect of the present invention electrical status of an electronic apparatus or predetermined electronic element provided therein include the on status or off status of the electronic apparatus power supply, and/or the suspended status or non-suspended status of a CPU as an electronic element.
According to an electronic apparatus of an eighth aspect of the present invention, in an electronic apparatus of the sixth or seventh aspect of the present invention the display controller displays on an electrophoretic display a color corresponding to an electrical status of the electronic apparatus or a predetermined electronic element provided therein.
Switching of electrophoretic display colors includes not only switching of two colors but also switching of three or more colors. When two colors are to be displayed on an electrophoretic display, this is possible by means of color switching of the dispersion medium and particles within cells. When three or more colors are to be displayed on an electrophoretic display, color filters are mounted on the upper side of the cells, with these color filters divided into three or more colors, such as R (red), G (green), and B (blue), and not the same color but three or more colors are used for the dispersion medium in each cell.
An electronic apparatus of a ninth aspect of the present invention comprises the following items:
at least one member operated by the user;
an electrophoretic display arranged on the top surface and/or a side surface of a member;
a display controller for displaying on the electrophoretic display an icon representing the function of the member. The icon may include a character or a graphic pattern. Also, the display can display another icon representing another function of the member in response to operation mode of the apparatus.
The members include, for example, operating keys and operating buttons. Operating keys include, for example, character input keys and function keys on the keyboard of a notebook type or desktop type personal computer, keys on the keypad of a mobile phone or fixed-line phone, and keys on various kinds of remote controllers. Although the key-tops are small, there is no problem with mounting an electrophoretic display. With conventional keys, a display is not mounted on the key-tops, and therefore either all input characters and functions that can be input are marked, or else such marking is foregone. With the present invention electrophoretic displays are arranged on the top surfaces and/or side surfaces of members, and input characters, etc., that are valid for current operation, are displayed on the electrophoretic displays, enabling the user to identify them at a glance.
According to an electronic apparatus of a tenth aspect of the present invention, in an electronic apparatus of the ninth aspect of the present invention the members are a plurality of character input keys for inputting character code data corresponding to specific character input modes, and the display controller displays on electrophoretic displays input characters valid for operation of each character input key in the current character input mode.
According to an electronic apparatus of an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in an electronic apparatus of the tenth aspect of the present invention an electrophoretic display is provided with top-surface electrodes forming input characters corresponding to each character input mode on each character key. Each top-surface electrode for the same character set is connected to a common voltage pulse application line. The display controller, when the input mode is switched, supplies a display character erasure voltage pulse to a pulse application line corresponding to the character before switching, and also supplies a display character display voltage pulse to a pulse application line corresponding to the character after switching.
Each character input key is provided with a plurality of top-surface electrodes forming an input character corresponding to each character input mode, so that it is possible to display the input character corresponding to each character input mode on each character input key simply by supplying a voltage pulse to a common pulse application line corresponding to a character input mode. The input character shaped electrodes provided on each character input key include segment electrodes, and moreover, these segment electrodes include hiragana character type electrodes and alphanumeric type electrodes, etc., in the embodiments to be described later. Also, electrophoretic displays have a memorizing capability and have the advantage of enabling display to be continued simply by applying a voltage pulse only when switching, but on the other hand, have a disadvantage in that the characters of the character input mode prior to switching do not disappear. However, display of input characters corresponding to the character input mode prior to switching can be erased from the character input keys simply by supplying an erasure voltage pulse to a common pulse application line corresponding to the character input mode prior to switching (this erasure voltage pulse may have the opposite polarity of the display start voltage pulse, for example).
According to an electronic apparatus of a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the members are a plurality of function keys in an electronic apparatus of any one of the ninth to eleventh aspects of the present invention. During operation of a Japanese input system, the display controller displays on electrophoretic displays character conversion characters valid for operation of each function key.
In an electronic apparatus of a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, an electronic apparatus of the twelfth aspect of the present invention has a Japanese input system operation detector for detecting current operation or current non-operation of a Japanese input system. The display controller displays on electrophoretic displays character conversion characters valid for operation of each function key.
Function keys are often used as character switching keys during Japanese input system operation. User convenience is greatly improved by having the character conversion characters allocated to operation of each function key during Japanese input system operation displayed on an electrophoretic display on each function key.
An electronic apparatus information display method of the present invention comprises the following steps:
searching information from a storage inside or outside an apparatus in accordance with the status of the apparatus;
displaying a searched information on an electrophoretic display arranged on all or part of the surface of a housing that accommodates an electronic element internally.
It is desirable to display on an electrophoretic display arranged at a location closer to a member than a main display provided as an entity for displaying information with a display method that allows faster operation than an electrophoretic display. It is desirable, when a member in the vicinity of an electrophoretic display should be operated by the user at the present time, to display on the electrophoretic display a guide for informing a user of a member to be operated by the user. It is desirable to detect an event that requests predetermined operation of a member by the user, search for a member to be operated by the user in response to an event when an event is detected, and display in a region of an electrophoretic display in the vicinity of a searched member (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cnearby regionxe2x80x9d), a guide for informing a user of a member to be operated by the user. It is desirable to search a predetermined database for explanatory information to be displayed in a region of an electrophoretic display in response to an event when an event is detected, and display searched explanatory information as at least part of the operation information in a nearby region of an electrophoretic display.
Another electronic apparatus information display method of the present invention comprises the following steps:
detecting an electrical status of an electronic apparatus or a predetermined electronic element provided therein;
displaying a detected electrical status on an electrophoretic display arranged on all or part of the surface of a housing accommodating an electronic element internally.
It is desirable for electrical status of an electronic apparatus or a predetermined electronic element provided therein to include the on status or off status of the power supply of the electronic apparatus and/or the suspended status or non-suspended status of a CPU as an electronic element. It is desirable to display on an electrophoretic display a color corresponding to an electrical status of the electronic apparatus or a predetermined electronic element provided therein.
Yet another electronic apparatus information display method of the present invention comprises the following steps:
searching a name of an operation or detailed/or brief explanation of the operation, with regard to currently desired operation of a member;
displaying on an electrophoretic display arranged on the top surface and/or a side surface at least one of member of the searched information to be operated by the user.
According to an electronic apparatus information display method whereby character input keys are selected as members, it is desirable to display on an electrophoretic display an input character valid for operation of each character input key in the current character input mode. Moreover, it is desirable, in input mode switching, to supply a display character erasure voltage pulse to a pulse application line corresponding to the character before switching, and to supply a display character display voltage pulse to a pulse application line corresponding to the character after switching, for an electronic apparatus wherein an electrophoretic display provided with top-surface electrodes forming input characters corresponding to each character input mode on each character key, and each top-surface electrode for the same character, are connected to a common voltage pulse application line.
According to an electronic apparatus information display method whereby character input keys are selected as members, it is desirable to display on an electrophoretic display an input function name with regard to operation of each function key as a member in the current function mode. Moreover, it is desirable to detect current operation or current non-operation of a Japanese input system, and during operation of a Japanese input system, to display on an electrophoretic display a character conversion character that is valid for operation of each function key.